Fire stop



R. M. DYAR. FIRE sTdP;

APPLiCAUON HLUED Allslso, 1921. 1,428,881 PatentedSept. 12, 1922.

M7703: IFHLPH M DYHR,

lava/a I Ha row RE i Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES RALPH M. DYAR, F iGROSSE POIN'IE FARMS, MICHIGAN.

FIRE STOB.

Application filed August 3.0, 1921. Serial No. 496,988.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RALPH M. DYAR, a

- citizen of the United States, residing at Grosse Pointe Farms, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Fire Stop,- of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire stops used in frame building construction. In such building, passages are formed in the walls between the studding and in the floors between the floor joists; These passages are are quite objectionable as the form fiues along which fire may be carrie They also form passages and harborages for rats and mice and other vermin. It is common practice to stop 01d thesepassages by fire stops, that is by fastening a board between the studding of the joists in such a manner that the passage is entirely closed. These wooden fire stops are expensive to install and bnly partially effective as they may be destroyed by fireand they may also be easily gnawed through by rodents.

It is an object of this invention to provide a firestop'which may be secured in place by. a few blows of a hammer and which will be so constructed that accurate spacing of the studding and joists is not absolutely necessary to its use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stop which is. fire and vermin proof, sheet iron being a convement material having these characteristics.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fire stop which can be cheaply formed from light and inexpensive material and which, when completed, will have considerable mechanical strength.

Further objects and advantages will become evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is a perspective -view showing a portion of a building with fire stops of my I invention installed therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fire stop illustrated in Fig. l. I

Fig. 3 is an elevational detail showmg the manner in which the fire stop illustrated in Fig. 1 is installed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another form of my invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevational detail showm the manner in which the fire stop illustrate in Fig. 4 is installed.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of still another form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is an elevational detail showing the manner of installing the fire stop illustrated in Fig. 6.

Asv shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the customary construction of wood frame buildings includes wall studs 11 upon which are mounted a lath and plaster or other suitable finish 12, and floor joists 13-supporting flooring 14. Between the wall studs 11 and the floor joists 13 fire stops 20 are installed for-the purpose of obstructing the passages formed therebetween and thus preventlng fire started in one portion of the structure from being transferred to another portion thereof by drafts through said passages, and to prevent rodents from using these passages, as hereinbefore described.

The fire stop 20 consists of a-sheet metal plate 21 provided'with stiffening corrugations 22, and having diagonally directed end portions 23 upon which are formed prongs 24 for engagement with the building members 11. The over all length of the fire stop is slightly greater than the distance between the building members by which same is supported, and to install the fire stop it is only necessary to force it in between the building members 11 as illustrated in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines 25, the diagonal ends 23 being" bent inwardly to a slightly more acute angle. A block is placed upon the fire stop and several driving blows struck at the ends as illustrated by the arrows 26. The downward force thereby exerted is transferred through the diagonal ends 23 and is resolved into laterally exerted force to acco'm lish the imbedding of the serrations 24; firm y in the surface of the members 11, as illustrated-in full lines 27 in the figures. By changing the angle at which the ends 23 are bent, it'ls ossible to use this fire stop between mem ers variably spaced within certain limits. i

Another embodiment of my invention, Figs. 4 and 5, consists of a plate 30 provided with serrations 31 upon each end thereof and stiffening corrugations 32 extending from points near the center of the sheet so that a flexible web portion 32 is left at the center of the sheet. The two stiffened portions 34 thenact as separate rigid members havin a bendable connecting web. .By changing the angular relationshlp between the portions 34, by bending the structure at the we. 33 as illustrated in Fig. 5,1116 distance between the serrated ends is varied to suit the spacing of the building members.

' able instrument.

' within'the edges of sai I It will be seen that this type of construc-. tion allows considerable latitude in the arrow 35 which forces downward into the position indicated in full lines and the serrations are imbedded in the surfaces of the members 11.

the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed, and that said plate may be expanded to be secured in position by the strgightening of said bent portion.

11 a fire stop for obstructing wall and 70 v formed within the edges of said plate, par- The form of my invention shown in Figs.

6 and 7 consists of a metal plate 40 provided with edge serrations 41 and a stamped semicircular bead 42- which divides the fire stop into two portions 43 provided with stiffening corrugations 44. The stop 40 is placed between the building members 11 as indi cated by the full lines in Fig. 7. A block.

46 is then placed under the bead 42 and the bead is flattened with ahammer causing the portions 43 to be forced apart and the serrations projected into the surfaces of the building members 11.

The serrations which ll use upon the ends of these fire stops provide expedient, means of engaging the surfaces of the building members. i

It will be perceived that the principal feature of my invention resides in-so forming a sheet of material that bent portions will be provided to'furnish an expanding means for the fire stop, in the flattening of these bent portions by driving with a suit- The cheap cost-of manufacture of. my invention and the facility with which it may be installed makes ita valuable adjunct in the building industries.

I claim as my invention:

L'In a fire stop for obstructing wall and floor passages-in a frame buildin a plate of greater length than the space w 'ch'it is to occupy, having bent ortions so formed plate that the effective' length .thereof will be reduced suificiently to allow it to be placed between the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed, and that said plate may be expanded to be secured in position by the straightening of said bent portions.

2. In a fire stop forobstructing wall and gflaor passages in a frame building, the combination of: a plate of greater length than the space which. it is to occupy, certain of the edges of said plate being prepared to provide engagement with certain of the walls of a passage;'and bent portions so formed within the edges of said plat e that the effective length thereof will "be reduced sufficiently to allow it to placed between allel with said engagement edges, that the effective length thereof will be reduced sufliciently to allow it to be placed between the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed, and that said plate may be expanded to be secured in position by the straightening of said'bent portions.

4. In a fire stop for obstructing wall and floor passages in a frame building, the com-. bination of: a plate of greater length than the space it is to occupy; prongs formed upon the ends of said plate to provide engagement with certain of the walls ofa,passage; and portions diagonally bent upon the ends of said plate so that the eifective'length thereof will be reduced sufliciently to allow -'p lacement between the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed and. so that said plate may be expanded to be secured in position by relatively straightening said bent portions.

5. In a fire stop for obstructing wall and floor passa es in a frame building, the combination' o a plate of greater length than the space which it is to occupy, certain of the edges of said plate being prepared to provide engagement with certain of the walls of a passage; corrugations formed in said plate to stifien same, and bent'portions so formed in said plate that the effective length thereof will be reduced sutficiently to allow it to be placed between the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed, and that said plate may be e and ed to be secured in position by the straighteningI of said bent portions. I L 6. 'n' a fire stop for obstructing wall and floor passa es in a frame building,- the combination o a plate of greater length than; the space which itis to occupy, certain of the edges of said plate being prepared to provide engagement with certain of the walls of a passage; corrugations formed in i said pate to stiffen same; and bent ortions so formed in. said plate, parallel with said engagement edges, that the-effective len 11' thereof will be reduced suflicientl to a ow it to be placed between the buil 'ng mem- 7 In a fire stop for obstructingwall and floor passages in a frame building, the com bination of: a plate of greater length than the space it is to occu y; cor ugations formed in said plate to sti en same; prongs 5 formed upon the ends of said plate to provide engagement with certain of the walls of a passage; and portions diagonally bent upon the ends of said plate so that the effective length thereof will be reduced suflicient- 1y to allow placeni'ent between the building members enclosing the passage to be obstructed and so that said plate may be expanded to be secured in position by relatively straightening said bent portions.

In testimon whereof; I have hereunto set my hand at s Angeles, California, this 15th day of August-1921.

7 RALPH M. DYAB. 

